Ellis: Mayor, speak up about McNally [updated]

Corey Ellis’ campaign put out a statement a bit ago calling on Mayor Jerry Jennings to take a public stand on the recent revelation by the Times Union of the 911 call made by an off-duty Schenectady cop who was tailing an off-duty city detective, George McNally, as he allegedly drove drunk through Albany into Bethlehem on Jan. 11.

From Brendan Lyons’ story:

The 911 recording also raises new questions about whether police in Albany and Bethlehem deliberately delayed or tried to prevent the arrest of Detective George McNally, who was later indicted on charges of DWI, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

“It took the APD more than 15 minutes to arrive at the location of Albany Police Detective McNally, and throughout that 15 minute period residents’ lives were threatened and property damaged. …

The responsibility of the police department is to ensure the public’s safety. Under the present leadership, the message to the rank and file does not seem to be that they are charged with protecting the safety of each and every resident of Albany — instead, protecting the well connected seems to drive the leadership’s decision-making.”

Ellis goes after Jennings because “the mayor has ultimate responsibility for all city departments. And, as we continue to learn of new scandals within this (the police) and other departments, the Mayor says nothing.”

“Other departments” may, in part, refer to the parking violations bureau, which is embroiled in the Common Council’s investigation of the city’s parking ticket practices, driven vocally by Ellis. To be clear, the mayor has not been silent about that one — and he’s said publicly he’s said he thinks the council is dragging it out.

A cynic might say Ellis is looking for two sound bites at the apple from the television crews that have so far packed (last item) the first installments of the ticket hearings. Of course, a political strategist might also call it shrewd campaigning.

We sent an e-mail to Jennings’ campaign. We’ll let you know what they call it.

Update: Carolyn Ehrlich, a spokeswoman for the mayor’s campaign, said the campaign wouldn’t comment on matters currently pending before the courts and it is “inappropriate” for others to be doing it, either. Had Ellis called Jennings to discuss the matter, she said, Jennings would have told him so himself.

Jordan Carleo-Evangelist

6 Responses

Jerry’s opponents have 20-20 vision in hindsight but my guess is most of them haven’t a clue about the total job. They need only review David Paterson’s record over the past year to see what “unprepared” and “unqualified” really mean.

Is this a issue of concern with the voters of Albany? I think mr ellis needs to abandon his “vendetta” against the APD and focus on the issues that are relevanmt to this city and the voters, as should the T.U.

uh, Marlon, millions of dollars of no-fine tickets missing from the City’s coffers (when my taxes are going through the roof) and the apparent lack of integrity and moral fortitude of our Mayor, Treasurer and Police Chief are issues that I care about.

Your damned straight Marlon, “this is a concern with the voters of Albany”.

Your comment shows this voter that you will not receive my vote come election day.

You think this is a vendetta? You must be out of your mind!

If you think that police corruption in Albany is not a serious issue, that it’s ok to break the law if you’re wearing a badge, perhaps it’s time for you to take another “vacation” upstate in order for you to take some time away and clear your head.

You of all people should want an honest police force in Albany. Your running for office to be their boss, for goodness sake.

Jerry’s own boys on the council want to get to the bottom of this, too. This is not just a society scandal but a criminal conspiracy with higher-ups apparently involved in efforts to quash the investigation that reflects the very worst aspect of an abuse of power.

So why are you so uninterested in police corruption? Got something going on with a few of Albany’s embarrassingly corrupt cops we should know about?

Now that’s a response I’m sure all Albany’s voters would like to hear.

Oh, and Marlon, in Albany they earn their felonies the old fashioned way, after they’ve been in office awhile, not before running for office, as you did.

The good cops in Albany, (yes there are many), should have had enough of this crap from their wayward brothers and out every single one of them who continues to tarnish their polished image.

LOL! MLM, alleged millions of dollars that is! ad Liek I said who are the VIPs who got these “millions”of dollars of breaks? why arent THEY being grilled instead of this farce? right now this is All sound and fury signifying nothing! and while politics as usual may be of interest to you, to the voting public Im sure that there are more important issues of concern!